Plate hanger



Dec, IE2, 144 c. RICHARDS PLATE HANGER Filed Dec. 24, 1942 Patented Dec. 12, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PLATE HANGER Charles Richards, Quincy, Mass.

Application December 24, 1942, Serial No. 470,010

11 Claims.

This invention relates to a plate hanger designed for attachment to a plate for Wall decoration and display. 7

The object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved plate hanger for the purpose specified which may be economically manufactured, is of a simple and durable structure, and which may be used with'advantage to support plates of varying sizes, shapes and configurations upon a wall for display and decorative purposes.

With this general object in view, and such others as may hereinafter appear, the invention consists in the plate hanger hereinafter described and particularly defined in the claims at the end of this specification.

In the drawing illustrating the preferred embodiment of the invention, Fig. 1 is a front view of my improved plate hanger; Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof; Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view, partly in cross-section, of locking mechanism embodied in the illustrated plate hanger, shown in its unlocked position; Fig. 4 is a similar View showing the mechanism in its locked position; Figs. 5 and 6 are cross-sectional views taken on the lines 5-5 and 6-6 of Figs. 3 and 4 respectively; and Figs. 7 and 8 are detail views in side elevation, partly in cross-section, of a modified form of locking device shown in unlocked and locked positions respectively.

In general, the present invention contemplates a plate hanger of flexible material, such as thin metal or a plastic material, and the hanger consists essentially of two elongated supporting engaging portions when used for supporting a plate within the limits for which the hanger is designed. The present construction of hanger is also capable of adjustment to fit a relatively wide range of sizes of plates.

Referring now to the drawing which illustrates the preferred embodiment of the invention, it represents the main supporting member comprising a flexible but relatively stiff metal or plastic strip having its lower end portion provided with diverging and forwardly extended plate support ing hook members l2 which are adapted to hook over the lower portion of the periphery of the plate l5 when the sup-porting member In is disposed vertically along the under or rear surface of the plate, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The second supporting member It comprises an elongated adjustable clamping member which is straight for a major portion of its length and is provided wtih a forwardly extended hooked portion l8 at its upper end for cooperation with the. upper portion of the plate.'

The supporting member if! is provided with a hole 20 at its upper end through which a nail or other fastening device 22 may be driven to' attach the plate hanger to a wall 24, and as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, the upper or fastening end of the main supporting member I0 is preferably designed to be of such a length as to come 0 within the circumference of the plate l5, being members slidably connected together and adapted to be adjusted to the plate to be supported. One member comprising the main supporting member has provision at its upper end for attachment to the wall and is provided at'its lower extremity with one or more forwardly extending hooked portions adapted to hook over the lower portion of the rim of the plate to be displayed. The second elongated member comprises a bar which is formed straight for a major portion of its length and provided with a. hooked portion. at its upper and adapted to hook over the upper portion of the plate. The two suppoorting members may be held in assembled relation by one or more loops or collars embracing the parts and provision is made for frictionally locking the parts in their adjusted position in a simple and efiicient manner.

' A feature of the present invention resides in the structure of the plate hanger whereby when in use none of the parts of the hanger are visible from the front except the relatively small rim supported so as to be concealed by the latter when in use. The upper or fastening end of the main supporting member ID is also preferably offset, as indicated at 26, in order to provide a handle to be grasped when tightening the device about a plate, as will be described and also. to

provide a clearance space between. the wall and the plate for the head of the fastening device 22. The offset structure of the'upper portion of the member I0 is also advantageous in effecting a slight angular disposition of the plate against the wall, as illustrated, so that .the plate is tilted slightly forward to morereadily reveal its decorative features when placed in a relatively high position on the wall.

In order to hold the supporting members I!) and 16 in assembled relation, one or more loops or collars 28, 30 may be provided which are arranged to embrace the parts as shown to permit longitudinal adjustment of one supporting member with relation to the other. In the embodiment of the invention, as illustrated in Figs. 1 to '6, the spaced collars 28, 30 may and preferably will be fixed to the main supporting member I0 at points 32, 34, the collars 2B, 30 providing sufplete withdrawal thereof; and inioperation, as;

illustrated in Figs. 3 and 5, when the wedge is pushed in one direction, sufficient clearance is. provided to permit the members l0, Hi to be moved longitudinally with relation to each other: When the wedge is moved in the opposite direc.- tion, as shown in Figs. 4 and 6, the wider portion of the wedge effects a yieldingiseparationof the:

flexible members l0, IE to bind the parts at thepoints 43, 44 adjacent the collars 28, *and'thuslockthe parts securely, together. In. order. to.pre-. vent. the parts from .slipping apart-ianditoifurther assure. positive; locking. of the parts, the contact-- ingtfacessofl the members-J 6:-andi38may,and.prefferably will be provided.with1serrated,- grooved-or L otherwise roughened surfaces,,as..indicated. at

in Figs? and 4; The-:wedgashapedmember 38. may, and preferably, will.be. proportioned. so as to effect locking when-the member is: disposedin a: centralpositio-n asshown inFi g. .6.

From. the. description thusfar it. will-be. observedl that-whenassembling; the/hanger; upon a plate':-the.lo.wer hoolr memb'ers. ll arehooked over. the lowen portion-of therim of "the. plate-and then the slidable member. IGI is manually,v moved. into. position; to engage the: upper portion of. therim of the plate while the-wedge. shapedlmemb'erl 38. is. moved. to the. left,. as;- shown in 5'. The. offset-- portion.- 28 of ther mainsupporting member I 0- may; then: be graspedandheldwhil'e. themember-z lG is firmly placed in. plate. engaging; posiw tion either by pressing d'ownlonitop, of..the.hooked portion l8.or.by,pulling-,on thelower extended lend eithemember I 6-thus;-pulling ,the.members= l 0 I By im opposite directions: to. grasp. the. plate. tightly. Thereafter, the wedge. shapedlmember. 38is.pushed. intdbinding positiontt hold the. parts securely lockedtogetherr- Referring againtoFig; .1, andassumingionpurposes'of: explanation that..the,plate.therein shown.

inldott'eddines is theminimum size of platefor. which. the. presentl hanger. isdesigned it will be. observed; that" the elongated. member. I 5, extendsdownwardly. a. substantial; distancelto. permit. up.-

ward adiustmentito. take care. orlarelatively wide rangeof lsizesg, andyet the part". I8 is. atall" times entirely. concealedibehindlthe platewhen in.-use.. Although'the-illustrated hanger, may be adifusted t'otake care offa smaller. size offplatethanshown, such. adjustment would. reveal both. the attaching;end'-.of'the member "land. the lower. endloif 30 may be loosely mounted to be movable upon the parts I0, l8, so that in operation movement of the collars toward the inserted member 38 will effect binding and locking of the parts together. In the latter event the member 38 need not necessarily be wedge shaped, but may comprise an insert of uniform cross section interposed between the parts I8 and Hi, the locking action being effected by the flexing of the parts under the influenceof the. collars 28,,30 forcedtowards the interposedimember.

Referring now to Figs. 'Tand 8, another modification of the locking means embodied in the present plate hanger may comprise a longitudinal wedgeshaped member formed integrally with or attached to the upper portion of the main supp'ortingmember I 0, as illustrated, and a single loop,or collar: 52. loosely embracing and movable upon the members In and I6. With this constructlonit will be seen that when the collar 52 is movedtoa lowered position, .as. shown in Fig. 7, theparts may, be;- easily. adjusted. longitudinally with relation to each other, and when thecollar is. movedlupwardly;. it.will. efiect. binding of the parts. 1.01 and. IE1 againstthei wedge; shaped portionfil; as ,clearly shown..in..Fig. 8.. The. contact. ing. surfaces. may. also be. roughened. as. shown, toprovideeflicient grippingareas. Since but one collar 52. is. employed, side guides, 5 6 maybe provided; adjacentv the. top of, the. wedge portion to.maii1tain.the.member IB'in vertical alignment I witlithemember. I0.

Alfi'irther. modification embodying, a longitudinaliwedgemay comprise a-reversal-o the wedge shapedmember shown in Fig. 8Lso that thesmall. end. of th wedge. is uppermost. The-collar 52 wouldltlien be: disposed at. the. toner; the. wedge, and inordertto retainthemembers. Land Iii-in alignment a fixedlcoll'ar may beeprovided below the. wedge. The latter construction. eliminates the possibility, of the. collar. 52' becoming: inadvert'entl'y; loosened; and? disengaged :from its lockingposition.v

From the. above. description it. will-Abe. observed I thatthe presentconstruction.ofrplatehangermay be. economically, manufactured, is; capable of; ad'- justment to accommodate. a widezrange. of. sizes of..' plates and that. the-hanger. is practically entirely concealed behind thaplata being supported: when-in. use. It: will,also be.observed. that the present. structure of. plate. hanger. enables. thev parts to..be.securely, lockedlin. their adjusted posi tionsonthe plateina simple; practical and convenient manner... Although. the structure. lends.

itself for. manufacture from: relatively'thin'strips; of metal, such. as.brass,, whensuch-materials are unavailable. it. has. been. found. in\ practice; that hangers. madefrom. any, of.' the: commercially agailable plastic. materialsare extremely services a e.

While.thepreferredembodiment of the inventionlhasbeen hereinillustrated and/described; it:

will.be understood.that..the.invention.may be embodied in other. forms. within thescope: of. the following. claimsw Having. thus described. theinvention. what is claimed? is! 12. A.plate.hangerfonattachment toia plate for wall; decoration. and; display. comprising a main supportingmember. of relatively, thirr.fiexible-.material having provision at its upper end for attachment. to. the. wall and. provided at itslower endwithrforwardly. extended, diverging-hook por tions. for engagementwith. the. lower. rimportion of the. plate, an. elongated supporting member having a forwardly extended hook portion at its upper end for engagement with the upper rim portion of the plate, encircling means for retaining the members in assembled relation and to permit longitudinal adjustment of said elongated member, one of said members having a raised portion on one face thereof for cooperation with said encircling means arranged to flex said members to effect frictional locking of the parts in their adjusted position.

2. A plate hanger for attachment to a plate for wall decoration and display comprising a main supporting member having provision at its upper end for attachment to the wall and provided at its lower end with forwardly extended, diverging hook portions for engagement with the lower rim portion of the plate, an elongated supporting member having a forwardly extended hook portion at its upper end for engagement with the upper rim portion of the plate, means for retaining the members in assembled relation and to permit longitudinal adjustment of said elongated member, and means including a wedge shaped member interposed between said supporting members for locking the parts in their adjusted posi tion. a

3. A plate hanger for attachment to a plate for wall decoration and display comprising a main supporting member of relatively thin flexible material having provision at its upper end for attachment to the wall and provided at its lower end with forwardly extended, diverging hook portions for engagement with the lower rim portion of the plate, an elongated supporting member having a, forwardly extended hook portion at its upper end for engagementwith the upper rim portion of the plate, a movable collar embracing the members for retaining them in assembled relation,

and a wedge-shaped member interposed between said supporting members adapted to permit longitudinal adjustment of the parts when the collar is moved away from the interposed member and arranged to flex said supporting members to bind the parts together in locked relationship when the collar is moved toward the interposed memher.

4. A plate hanger for attachment to a plate for wall decoration and display comprising a main supporting member having provision at its upper end for attachment to the wall and provided at its lower end with forwardly extended, diverging hook portions for engagement with the lower rim portion of the plate, an elongated supporting member having a forwardly extended hook portio'n at its upper end for engagement with the upper rim portion of the plate, a pair of spaced collars embracing said membersand fixedlyjattached to the main supporting member, and a laterally movable wedge interposed between said supporting members intermediate said spaced collars and operative to permit said supporting members to be longitudinally adjusted when said wedge is moved in one direction and to flex the members into binding relationship with said collars when moved in an opposite direction to lock the parts in their adjusted position.

5. A plate hanger for attachment to a plate for wall decoration and display comprising a main supporting member having provision. at its upper end for attachment to the wall and provided at its lower end with forwardly extended, diverging hook portions for engagement with the lower rim portion of the plate, an elongated supporting member having a forwardly extended hook portion at its upper end for engagement with the upper rim portion of the plate, a collar loosely embracing said supporting members, and a longitudinally disposed wedge interposed between said supporting members adapted to permit longitudinal adjustment of the parts when the collar is moved away from the wedge and to lock the parts in their adjusted position when the collar is moved toward the wedge,

6. A plate hanger for attachment to a plate for wall decoration and display comprising a main supporting member having provision at its upper end for attachment to the wall and provided at its lower end with forwardly extended, diverging hook portions for engagement with the lower rim portion of the plate, an elongated supporting member having a forwardly extended hook portion at itsupper end for engagement with the upper rim portion of the plate, a pair of spaced collars embracing said members and fixedly attached to the main supporting member, and a laterally movable wedge interposed between said supporting members intermediate said spaced collars and operative to permit said supporting members tobe longitudinally adjusted when said wedge is moved in one direction and to flex the members into binding relationship with said collars when moved in an opposite direction to lock' the parts in their adjusted position, said laterally movable wedge being provided with stop lugs at either end to prevent complete withdrawal thereof.

'7. A plate hanger for attachment to a plate for wall decoration and display comprising a main supporting member having provision at its upper end for attachment to the wall and provided at its lower end with forwardly extended, diverging hook portions for engagement with the lower rim portion of the plate; an elongated supporting member having a forwardly extended hook portion at its upper end for engagement with the upper rim portion of the plate, a collar loosely embracing said supporting members, said main supporting member having a longitudinally disposed Wedge on its inner face arranged to cooperate with said collar whereby to permit longitudinal adjustment of the parts when the collar is moved away from the wedge and to lock the parts in their adjusted position when the collar is moved toward the wedge.

8. A plate hanger for attachment to a plate for wall decoration and display comprising a main supporting member having provision at its upper'end for attachment to the wall and provided at its lower end with forwardly extended, diverging hook portions for engagement With th lower rim portion of the plate, an elongated supporting member having a, forwardly extended hook portion at its upper end for engagement with the upper rim portion of the plate, a collar loosely embracing said supporting members, and a longitudinally disposed wedge interposed between said supporting members whereby to permit longitudinal adjustment of the parts When the collar is moved away from the wedge and to lock the parts in their adjusted position when the collar is moved toward the wedge, said supporting members being proportioned so as to permit of a relatively wide range of adjustment and at the same time being substantially entirely concealed behind the plate when hung in place upon a wall.

9. A plate hanger for attachment to a plate for Wall decoration and display comprising a main supporting member having provision at its upper end for attachment to the wall and provided at its lower end with forwardly extended, diverging hookrportionssforengagement withithe lower'rim; portion of. theclplate; an. elongated supporting memberrhaving a-forwardly extended hook: por-' tion at;its; upper: end; for engagement. with the:

upperv rimrportion: of the plate; a;co1lar, loosely em? bracing: said supporting -members, and a longitudinally disposed-wedgeinterposed between said,

supporting members adapted to-permit longitudinal; adjustment: of r the: partsr when the, collar is moved awayfromthe wedge and-tolock the parts in'theirsadjustedgposition'when thecollar is moved toward the wedge, .said main supporting member being'lessin length than the'diameterof'the plate to' be:supp,orted andjsubstantially equal in length.

to :said elongated supporting member whereby to permit ,of'a, relatively wideqrange,of-adjustment'of' said memberswhilepatxthe same time. enabling the;

same. to be: substantiallyentirelyconcealed" be:- hind tliezplateiwhen hung-in placezupon a wall;

10. .A plate-changer for attachment to a plate forwalldecorationzand display comprising-a main supporting'member of. a relatively thin flexiblematerialhaving'provision at itsupper end forattachment' tothe wall andprovided atits lower enctwith forwardly extended, diverging hook;por-- tions forr'engagement withthe lower-rim portion of: the-plate; an elongated; supporting memberhaving: a forwardly extended hook: portion at its: upper end for engagement with the upper rim portionnof. thesplate, encircling means for re:-

'taining: tnermembers-ginn assembled: relation; ndi to; permit dongitudi-nal, adiustment-oi said elon t gated-member; and means including-' member; interposed between said supporting members, are.

; ranged to flex the sameito effect frictionallocking;

ofv'the parts in their adjusted position whensaid; encircling-means is moved toward said interposed; member, the contacting faces of said members being provided with roughened surfaces tov provide; efficient gripping areas.

11. A;plate hanger for attachment to aiplate for wall decoration and display comprising a main supportingmember having provision at-itsupperr endfor attachment to thewall and providedat itslowerend with forwardly extended, diverging is moved;v away from the wedge and to loci; theparts in their adjusted position when the collar is'moved toward the wedge the contacting faces of said members being provided with roughened; surfaces. toprovide efficient gripping areas;

CHARLES RICHARDS; 

